Who are the arias? This question excites modern minds. However, history buffs can at least somehow understand him. It became relevant under the rule of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. The German theory of "pure race" - a consequence of the error of the researcher Max Muller - still haunts some people. Some people treat it extremely negatively, especially in our country, while others try to find a rational grain. However, another question is relevant now: "Who are the Slavic Arians?" He is very surprised by professional historians, sociologists and political scientists. Nevertheless, we will try to figure out where this term came from and who the Arians are.
The concept of "Slavs"
We will try to reason objectively, we can say, from a scientific point of view, how generally legitimate to say so. Slavs are an ethnos, not a people. The difference is that an ethnos means a collection of peoples that have common historical roots. At the beginning of the 1st millennium AD, the Slavs were divided into three branches: the western (modern Kashubians, Luschians, Czechs, Slovaks, etc.), southern (modern Serbs, Croats, Macedonians, etc.), eastern (modern Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians). Of course, the name of many historians was different: antes, sklavins, etc. In history, there is no reliable information about a single Praslyavian people. Only linguists discuss it on the basis of an analysis of linguistic similarities and differences. It is from them that the approximate separation of one group of Slavs from another, the influence of other cultures, localities, etc. is determined. There is not a single real scientist who would use the term "Slavic-Aryans" in his work. Where does this myth come from? We’ll try to figure it out.
Myths and Reality
Two unrelated concepts - “Slavs” and “Arias” - were united by a certain Alexander Hinevich. His followers carried the idea to the masses. Despite the fact that the Slavs and Arians are the same incompatible concepts, such as "yellow - cold", many liked the idea. In our country, "trusting" is gaining popularity, that is, faith in ancestors. Calendars, holidays, time zones, phraseologisms, etc. correspond to the fashion trend. There is an explanation for this: communism, with its rejection of Christianity, gave rise to several soulless generations that refused to accept Christianity upon its revival. And the "Slavic-Aryans" came in handy. In addition, the new religion, neopaganism, has become "true", alternative. In fact, it turned into a protest of the social system. And it attracted young romantics at all times. We add here the rejection of morality, rituals - and we get an ideal religion. The main postulate - "we are believers, but nothing is required of us" - made the idea of neopaganism attractive. Against this background, it is not difficult to inculcate the idea of not just “trusting,” but Slavic-Aryanism.
Who are the arias
The study of this concept began in the 19th century. At that time, distorted translations of Indian sastras began to fall into Europe. Serious work on this issue belongs to Arthur Avalon, who first began to research this topic. The massive popularity of the author led to the growth of imitators, less talented, who began to replicate the "sensation" in their works.
It is a mistake to consider that the Aryans are a single race, a nation. The Indian sastra really mentions a certain united nation, which is supposedly the ancestor of all past people. This idea was developed by the Frenchman Arthur de Gobino, who created racial theory. He called the Aryans a united people, from whom all the rest descended. The idea gained not just popularity, but large-scale development under the authority of Adolf Hitler. He modified the racial theory, declaring the superiority of the Germans over everyone else, and included the Germans in the number of direct “pure” descendants, in contrast to others - “dirty, half-blood”.
In fact, there was no such thing as Aryans (Aryans) in relation to a single people. Then where do myths come from? Who are the arias? They did not invent them artificially.
In the ancient code of Indian laws - "Manavadharmashastra", the term "arya" is translated as "noble". This was the name of the representatives of the higher castes - brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas. That is, these are the three highest castes of the pranarod, in the modern language - “the cream of society”. In addition to the Aryans, this people had two other castes - sudras and candalas.
Arius - friend or foe?
Despite this, the permissibility of the existence of a unified Indo-European people is not canceled. Many European and Eastern languages are close to each other. All of them belong to the Indo-European group. Therefore, we can assume that there was still a single people. Historians believe that under this concept should be considered a group of tribes of Ancient Iran. Literally, “Aryan” is translated from ancient languages as “friend”. And at the same time as an “enemy." The opposite meaning of the same word is a common practice of ancient languages. That is, it could be both a friend and an enemy. Perhaps it was a man from a foreign tribe. That is, the Aryan is a foreigner, originating from another tribal community. He can be truly a friend, and then become an enemy. The hypothesis is confirmed by the presence of the god Aryaman in the Vedic pantheon. He is just responsible for friendship and hospitality.
Is Ukraine the homeland of the Aryans?
Most researchers today are inclined to believe that the Aryans lived on the territory of Ancient Iran. No need to tie it to the modern Shiite state in the Middle East. Its territory is relatively small. Ancient Iran is a vast territory of the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea. That is why, among Ukrainian historians, there is an opinion that the Great Europeans lived on the territory of modern Ukraine more than 5 thousand years ago.
The hypothesis of a unified nation
There is a hypothesis that a single great people (Indo-Europeans, Arians) was divided into two branches: Iranian and Indo-Aryan. The term "Iran" itself means "land of the Aryans." In confirmation of this, scientists have proved the similarity of the Indian Vedas and the Iranian Avesta. According to the theory, a group separated from a single Iran, possibly one of the tribes, and in about 1700-1300. BC e. went to India, where she remained completely. If this is true, then the theory of the origin of the Great Europeans from Ukraine has a right to exist.
Linguistic theory
Linguists also support the territory of origin of the Aryans from Eastern and Central Europe, since here a single language branches out into many dialects, which is logical when it naturally develops in one territory. In India, there is only one Indo-European branch, which speaks more about migration, and not about origin and development. In addition, here, the aliens encountered a group speaking local languages, which subsequently affected the development of the language as a whole.
Kurgan hypothesis
Archaeologists are also inclined to believe that the Aryans originally lived on the territory of the Black Sea. Artifacts of the famous Yaman culture are cited as evidence. It is believed that the first chariots were invented here, which made it possible to quickly capture vast areas. Such theories, unfortunately, give rise to pseudoscientific fabrications based on scientific facts. Like, the direct descendants of the Aryans - Russians, Germans, Ukrainians or anyone else. Against this background, various Slavic-Arians appear. It is possible that common ancestors originated from the territory of the Black Sea region, but later settled and divided over time into many other peoples, and subsequently their descendants returned to these lands. The followers of the exclusivity and “purity” of one nation, in comparison with others, manipulate these facts, linking the ancient single root to only one leaf, and not to the whole tree.
Aryan cultural heritage
Arias left behind many written monuments. These are the Vedas, Avesta, Mahabharata, Ramayana. From a nomadic people they turned into sedentary farmers. Cows and horses were bred. They were familiar with irrigation, were able to forge copper and gold products. As the main weapon used bow and arrow. They did not have a pronounced caste system, as in India. However, the top of the hierarchy - priests and aristocrats - enjoyed great influence.
conclusions
Summing up, we can say that a single race of Aryans may never have been. Most likely, thanks to the war chariots, a certain group of tribes, possibly not even close relatives, spread their influence over vast territories. Hence the emergence of a single Indo-European language of peoples who were never historically close.
However, there is no definite answer to the question of who the Arians are. Every day we all move away from him, and scientific theories are replaced by pseudoscientific statements. It is possible that the Aryans are a nation that has spread its influence. But it is possible that this is a group of unrelated, but culturally similar tribes that settled on different sides of a single center.